Lever stall



W. O. WILLE LEVER STALL July 1-9, 1932.

Filed Ocfc. 27, 1930 \m ww g mqv ww I INVENTOR WaZZfer' O. Wt'Z Z8ATTORNEY Patented July 19, 1932 UNIT STATES PATENT aria a WALTER O.WILLE, OF WATERLOO, IOWA, ASSIGNOR T0 CLAY EQUIPMENT CORPORA TION, OFCEDAR FALLS, IOWA LEVER STALL Application filed October 27, 1930. SerialN0. 491,390.

My invention relates to improvements in lever stalls, and the object ofmy improvement is to supply in such a stall, a pair or pairs ofstanchions so suspensively supported and mounted as to have limitedrocking movements on a common axis while allowing swinging displacementsof one stanchion relative to the other and non-swinging stanchion.

Another object of my improvements is to combine with the swingingstanchion of each pair, means for releasably swinging it to and from theother stanchion, with other means for releasably locking the swingingstanchion in one position when said operating means are disengagedtherefrom.

Another object of my improvements is to arrange said stanchion operatingmeans as to be placed beyond a dead center in one of its elements toreleasably lock said means in holding a swinging stanchion closedagainst a non-swinging stanchion associated therewith.

These objects I have accomplished by the means which are hereinafterdescribed and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a lever stall deviceequipped with a pair of hinged stanchions mounted and supportedoperatively therein according to my invention, and with parts in sectionor broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the parts shown in said Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of an aper tured slide orbearing member of the device as associated with the upper termination ofa swinging stanchion. Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail view, in top planand with parts of the track rails in longitudinal section, wherein thefixed arcuate supporting member for the non-swinging stanchion of a pairis supported for rocking slidably laterally thereon. Fig. 5 is anenlarged side elevation of an engaging catch used to operatively andreleasably interlock with said slide bearing member.

In said Fig. 1 are shown fixed longitudinally spaced tubular posts 1,connected at their tops on either side by channel bar rails 2 and 3 withfacing flanges spaced apart providing an elevated fixed track, for alever stall.

Positioned midway between said posts 1 is a pair of vertically disposedbasally hinged stanchions 5 and 6 suspended normally in a vertical planemedial with the interspace of the track rails 2 and 3, the stanchionsbeing spaced apart as usual with converging and approximated lower andupper terminations, the former overlapping hingedly on a cross pintle 7and the latter secured by bolts 12 to upright facing hollow semicircularterminals 13 and 15 whose stems when closed together provide asubstantially circular supporting means for the stanchion parts 5 and 6.

To prevent excessive displacements of the lower part of the stanchions,any convenient or usual means of limitation therefor may be provided,such as chain links 9 connected be tween the base of the stanchionsmedially and a supporting floor below by connections 10.

Referring to said Fig. 4c, the numeral 18 denotes a pair of platemembers fitting the inner web walls of the spaced rails 2 and 3 andsecured thereto as by headed screws 51. At one end of each these membersare connected transversely across the interspace of the rails by anarcuate horizontal bearing part 17 substantially semicircular and ofrounded cross section. The terminal 13 of the stanchion 5 has its endpart 14 shaped as a hook of considerable width and fitted to the arcuateelement 17 to be suspended thereon removably and in sliding rockingengagement therewith suspensively, whereby the stanchion may rocklaterally horizontally together with the other stanchion 6 on a commonaxis of rotation.

The numeral 19 denotes a slide bearing plate having at opposite endsdownwardly inclined terminations 24 and 25, the latter depending intothe interspace of the upper flanges of the rails 2 and 3 while the widerbody of the plate rides slidably upon the tops of the rails. As shown inFig. 3, a guide bar 26 is secured by screws 27 across the under side ofthe plate 19, the bar having olfset ends to ride under the upper flangesof the rail members 2 and 3, to prevent displacement upwardly of theplate.

The slide plate 19 has near opposite ends the like rectangular slots 22and 23, and also has a medial aperture 20 with raised rim partiallytherearound, being circular with a segment removed transversely relativeto the plate, but having at the middle of the chord and of less width aninwardly directed and upwardly inclined pyramidal boss 21 extendingtoward the center of the aperture. The upper termination of thestanchion part has an outer boss or lip 16, serving as a stop againstthe plate to prevent the part 15 escaping downwardly through theaperture when the stanchions are suspended, but the lipped end may beinserted initially by tipping this stanchion relatively to the plate.The inner boss 21 of the plate is shaped and positioned so as to keepthe semicircular stanchion part 15 seated in the aperture coaxially, yetallows the rocking of the part 15 through a considerable are of movementaround the point of the boss to correspond with the like are of movementpermitted the other stanchion 5 in moving around the semicircularconnection 17 also co-axially, when the stanchions are closed. I

To lock the slide plate 19 to the track when the pair of stanchions 5and 6 are closed together, the plate 19 being in the position shown inFig. 2, a catch 48 pivoted on a crossbolt 1? between the rails 2 and 3may be swung over to engage its angular tip 49' in the aperture 23 ofthe plate.

Means for swinging the stanchion 6 from and toward the stanchion 5 areprovided. A manually operable angulararm 33 is pivoted at its angle on apintle 32 fixed to the track near one end. The free end part of the armwhen the stanchions are closed depends downwardly alongside an end post1, and its termination isreceived in an offset part or socket member andstop on a plate 34 fastened on the post, the arm being then in or beyonda dead center position relative to a link-bar 30 pivoted terminally tothe other end of the arm on a pintle 31. This link-bar 30' substantiallyparallels the adjacent rail 2 and has a pivotal connection at 29 with amedial part of another parallel rod 28- just above the top of the trackon one side.

Referring to Fig. 5, the numeral 42 denotes a catch having tubular ends15' secured rockingly non-slidably on said rod 28 in a location which,as shown in Fig. 2, permits it to be swung over to engage. its angulartip 13 in the aperture 22 of the slide plate 19 when the latter is.positioned together with the stanchion 6 in a closed position of thelatter. \Vhen so engaged, the other catch 48 may be swung to disengageit from the plate 19, and then the arm 33 may be swung in adirectionoppositely to thrust the rod 28 with the now connected slide plate 19,to swing the stanchion 6 to an opened position indicated by the dottedlines in Fig. 1. In this position of the arm 33 it passes to or beyond adead center to releasingly lock it there with the v I I are aimed alongthe track rails, an operator may swing open any desired number of thestancl'iions 6 to thus release the animals, without releasing any animalor animals still confined in an unoperated pair or pairs of suchstanchions, for the latter may be initially locked in closed position bythe catches 4:8, and the other catches 42 disengaged from the slideplate 19. The catch 42 may have a medial longitudinal rib with afingerhold aperture 44 for convenient use in operating it.

An arm 37 may be end-pivoted to the rod 28 and have its other endpivoted at 38 to an arm 39 and to a standard stop member 11, whichlatter as shown in dotted lines may be extended by action of the rod 28when moved in one direction, to block the opening between a post 1 andthe next adjacent stanchions, to prevent an animal from pushing its headthrough their interspace.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. In a lever stall, an elevated track, a pair of movably connectedstanchions positioned thereunder with approximated upper ends, a bearingelement movable along said track and apertured to receive one of saidstanchion ends both slidably and rockingly, and an arcuate cross memberfixedly secured across said track with its axis that of the aperture inthe bearing member in one position of the latter, the other of saidstanchions having its upper end part hook shaped to engage and ride uponsaid arcuate cross member when the stanchions are closed together androcked as one together laterally.

2. In a lever stall, an elevated track, a pair of movably connectedstanchions positioned thereunder with approximated upper ends ofdifferent lengths, a bearing ele ment movable along said track andapertured with a reentrant boss to receive the longer end partof onestanchion slidably and rockingly with a restricted scope of rotation, anarcuate cross member secured on said track, the shorter end part of theother stanchion being hooked to movably engage and ride upon said crossmember when the stanehions are rocked laterally, and means releasablyconnected to said bearing element to shift it. along said track.

3. In a lever stall, an elevated track consisting of laterally spacedrails, a pair of hingedly connected stanchions positioned under theinterspace of the rails and having approximated upper ends of which oneis longer than the other, a bearing element movable along said track andapertured to receive the longer end part of onestanchion both slidablyand rockingly, an arcuate cross member crossing the interspace of saidrails and end connected thereto, the shorter upper end of the otherstanchion being hooked to ride upon said arcuate member slidingly whenthe stan chions are rocked laterally, means releasably connected to saidbearing element to shift it along said track, an operating lever movablyconnected to said means to pass its dead center in either of oppositedirections to lock the bearing element with the stanchions open orclosed, and a catch movably mounted on said track and releasablyengageable with said bearing element when said operatin means isdisengaged therefrom, to hold the bearing element with the stanchionsclosed. together.

4. In a lever stall, an elevated track consistin of laterally spacedrails, a pair of hingec lv connected stanchions positioned under theinterspace of the rails and having approximated ends of which one islonger than the other, an apertured bearing element movable along saidtrack and one aperture of which is substantially circular with aninwardly directed boss, the approximated up per ends of the stanchionsboth being of semicircular cross section with the longer upper end partof one stanchion mounted both slidingly and rockingly in said circularaperture of the bearing element, the boss whereof serves to limit therocking of the traversing stanchion end to a limited predetermineddegree, an arcuate cross member between said rails and end connectedthereto, the shorter upper end of the other stanchion be ing hooked oversaid arcuate member to be supported and ride thereupon laterally whenthe stanchions are rocked laterally, releasable operating meansconnected to said hearing element to shift it along said rails, andincluding an operating lever, and a catch mounted hingedly upon one ofsaid rails to releasably engage another aperture in said bearing elementto hold the plate and stanchions locked to the track in a closedposition of the stanchions, and after release of said operating meansfrom the bearing element.

5. In a device of the character described, an elevated and end supportedhorizontal arcuate member, a bearing element supported adjacent theretoand having an aperture coaxial with the axis of said arcuate member andmovable to and from it, and a pair of stanchions hingedly connected attheir lower ends and having the upper terminal of one stanchion slidablysupported on said arcuate member, and the upper termination of the otherstanchion mounted both slidably and rockingly in the aperture of saidbearing element.

6. In a device of the character described, an elevated and end supportedhorizontal arcuate member, a bearing element supported adjacent theretoand having an aperture coaxial with the axis of said arcuate member andmovable to and from it, and a pair of stanchions movably connected attheir lower ends and having the upper terminal of one stanchion movablysupported on said arcuate member, and the upper termination of the otherstanchion extended loosely slidably and rockingly through the apertureof said bearthereon as a stop to prevent egress thereof of the dependingstanchion.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALTER O. WILLE.

mg element and having a terminal boss

